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[Page 2927]Schizoaffective disorder is, in simplified terms, a combination of schizophrenia and a mood disorder, but its diagnosis is more complex than this. Although often overdiagnosed due to this simplification, it is nonetheless a prevalent mental health condition that requires multiple treatment approaches to address its various components. The diagnosis, differential diagnosis, prognosis, epidemiology, etiology, and treatment of schizoaffective disorder follow.

Diagnosis

The criteria for schizoaffective disorder, as delineated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, include a period (at least 1 month) in which there is a major mood episode (major depressive [specifically including depressed mood] or manic) with at least two symptom categories of schizophrenia (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms) as well as a ...